Page 109 of The Danger of Desire

“If you wanted one, yes.” He let out a heavy breath. “What did she say?”

“As I suspected, Reynold went to London to seek out your cousin because he was in love with Brilliana, and he couldn’t bear knowing she had loved someone else and now couldn’t love him.”

“Niall.”

“Yes.” She cast him a wry smile. “At least at one time, from what I gather. She wouldn’t give me details.” She sobered. “So Hart was telling the truth about trying to protect your cousin. About why he cheated Reynold.”

“I never doubted it.” He drew himself up. “But it doesn’t change what he did. Or excuse it.”

That took her entirely by surprise. “Doesn’t it?”

He stepped closer. “No. As I’m sure you realize.”

Her shoulders slumped. “I don’t know what I think about it anymore.”

“Well, I do. What he did was wrong. He should never have taken the wager in the first place. He damned well never should have cheated your brother.” His voice hardened. “And he knows it, too. In fact, he asked that I give you this.”

Drawing a sheet of paper out of his coat pocket, he held it out to her.

Curious, she took it from him. It was an IOU for the three thousand pounds plus interest. Made payable to Brilliana Trevor.

“He fully intends to repay every penny,” Warren said.

She arched an eyebrow. “Because you told him he must.”

“No. He came up with that all by himself.” He smiled faintly. “Apparently my brother has a will of his own. I had no idea.”

Scarcely able to believe what Warren was saying, she glanced around nervously. “Whereisyour brother, anyway?”

“I didn’t bring him. I knew you didn’t want him here.” A muscle flexed in his jaw. “I know you didn’t wantmehere, either, but I couldn’t... I didn’t want to...” He fixed his gaze on her. “I thought you might need me for this. The way I need you for... everything.”

That caught her so by surprise that she was hardly able to fathom it. “You need me?”

“More than you know.” He released a ragged breath. “Last night when you said you loved me...”

She winced. “It’s all right. I know you don’t feel the same.”

“No! I mean...” He cursed under his breath. “Damn it, I’m very bad at this.”

“At what?” Hope sprouted in her heart.

With blatant yearning in his face, he neared her. “Saying I love you.” He gazed at her tenderly. “Because I do, you know.”

“Warren, you don’t have to—”

“I mean it, Delia.” A ragged breath escaped him. “I’m terrified that I’ll disappoint you or hurt you or ruin things, but it doesn’t change the fact that I love you. Helplessly. Hopelessly.”

Her pulse danced as every fear she’d had was laid to rest. He was hers. Truly hers.

“Not hopelessly.” She reached up to cup his cheek. “I meant it when I said I loved you. That’s not going to change.”

His eyes darkened. “Even when I thrash about in the bed at night or... do things in my sleep that I... don’t know if you want—”

“I can’t imagine your ever truly hurting me.” Realizing that he was worried about how he’d started making love to her in his sleep, she brushed a kiss to lips. “No matter how bad the nightmares get, I know you’d never harm me. I’m utterly convinced of that.”

He kissed her then, with a desperation that mirrored her own. Somehow they had found each other in the midst of her troubles, and no matter what happened from now on she refused to let him go. As long as he loved her, that was enough.

After he’d plundered her mouth long enough to weaken her knees and fire her blood, he drew back. “I brought you a present.”